Can't Start A Fire Without A Spark
by Lobsters forever
Summary: What if Fran was not hired as the Nanny after her trial weekend? Years later The Sheffield Family meet up with Fran and Val on a cruise ship.. What will happen? Read to find out...CHAP 2 IS UP!
1. regrets

_Hello all! This is my first Nanny Fanfic._

_What if Fran was not hired for the position of the nanny after that weekend of being temporarily hired? Well, I think that Maxwell and Fran would have found each other sooner or later. REMEMBER THIS FANFIC TAKES PLACE THREE YEARS AFTER THAT WEEKEND._

_The Sheffield family is on their vacation on a splendid cruise, of course carrying Niles and C.C with them.  
But also Fran and her best friend Val also are on the same cruise ship.  
–Authors Note_

** "CAN'T START A FIRE WIHOUT A SPARK"**

"Oh Dad, this is our First vacation in such a long time, I really want to enjoy it…. Do we have to stay together?" Maggie asked her Father who was now smiling at his daughter's question.

"Well, I really wanted to spend time with you, Brighten and Grace" the father replied.

C.C the father's business partner who was bashfully in unrequited love with him then said "Maxwell, don't forget about me!"

Niles the butler, who had a fancy to make his business associate suffer remarked "oh trust me, he already has."

C.C gave Niles an evil look of frustration as the little ones kept on complaining. Grace was begging her father next "…. Oh daddy, I scheduled a meeting with an on cruise physiatrist. She really thinks she can help me with my problematic developments." Grace began to smile and Maxwell looked at his other two children confused.

"Well" he began "Fine, you may spend today on this cruise alone. But we have to spend lunch and dinner together. Lunch at, I don't know 2 pm, and dinner at 7."

C.C happily watched the children run away because now she had Maxwell all to herself for the whole day. "So Maxwell, what should we do first?" Maxwell looked at her and said, "Well, I am going to go swimming. We will meet each other for lunch to discuss our next theatrical performance."

C.C replied while Maxwell walked away from her "I can come swimming to!" Niles the butler then said "…and expose all that body hair, I don't think so!"

"No, Val! That one looks like he just drank half a bottle of Pepto Bismol!" Fran told her best friend while they were sun tanning together on the deck of the ship. Val looked at her disappointed "Sorry, I just thought that he was cute."

Fran laughed and then exclaimed "Yea, cute. That's how you got stuck with that ex boyfriend of yours. Remember, the one that I hit with a shovel 'cuz I thought he was a Yeti?" Val chuckled and replied "Well, Fran. I don't know what to do. Neither you nor me can find a guy. We better find one on this ship, or I'll die".

Fran looked at her confident "Well, I'm not worried. My physic told me that I was going to meet the man of my dreams. And you know she is always right. Last year when I went to her, she told me that I would travel to a place that I would really enjoy! And guess what? I finally made it to that Donna Karen outlet store in New Jersey and had a wonderful time!"

"Oh, look at the time. It's almost 2 o'clock. I'm kind of hungry, you wanna go get some food?" Val asked her. Fran nodded and said "Of course your hungry the only thing you have had in the past two days are slim fast bars. Let's go the buffet".

The Sheffield family sat the big round table in the middle of the restaurant with the exception of Brighton. The family was waiting for him, and Maxwell was a little worried, he was only 12 years old.

Fran and Val were waiting to get a seat in the restaurant. When they say a blonde boy pushing past everyone claiming that his family was inside waiting for him. Val told Fran that she had to go to the little girls room and that she will meet her inside the restaurant.

"Fran for two" The waitress said. Then Fran asked the little boy "My friend went to the bathroom so you can be in my reservation and get into the restaurant." Brighton looked her up and down and replied "No objections here!"

Fran laughed as they walked into the restaurant looking for his family. Fran then asked the boy. "What's your name?" "Brighton and thanks for helping me."  
He replied shaking her hand. She chuckled and said, "Well, I'm Fran and I am happy to help you".

Brighton found his table and said, "Dad, I finally made it and look what I brought," he said showing Fran, then continuing, "She helped me find you guys". Maxwell got up from the table and said "Well thank you. My name is Maxwell Sheffield and these are my kids Grace, Maggie and you already met Brighton." Miss Fine smiled at all the kids as Maxwell continued, "…this is my business associate C.C. Babcock and this is Niles an old friend and our Butler".

Fran laughed then asked then examined the question carefully "What? No, Nanny?" Maxwell laughed then said "We do have a Nanny but she has a bit of a flu so she could not have made it. Fran realized that she hasn't introduced herself "Well, I am Fran, Fran Fine."

Maxwell looked her up and down and thought, "Yes, you are very fine, Miss Fran" He smiled to himself then asked "Would you like to join us?" Fran then shrugged and the children all smiled and asked her politely if she would. But C.C was the first to make a negative remark.

"I am sure, Miss Fine is busy. She must have other friends. Or she could be a loner." Niles quickly whispered to her "Well you do know what that's like."  
Fran smiled sarcastically at C.C and said "Yes, I do a have friend she is just in the little girls room. I have to get going the buffet line is going quickly and my mother has two rules, 1: Never mistake hair spray for spray on deodorant, trust me she learned that the hard way and 2: Eat as much as you want at a buffet, 'cuz its free." The Sheffield family smiled just as Fran continued "Well, I see my friend Val now. I have to go. It was really nice meeting you all, have a great cruise."

As Fran walked away from the table the family began to talk about her. Grace looked at her father and said, "She was really nice". And the rest seem to agree, except for Miss. Babcock. "I don't think she was. She was totally inappropriate." Maxwell then said, "Oh come on C.C, she seemed perfectly normal except for that voice, it was truly interesting and different".

Maxwell got up and waited in the buffet line while thinking about Miss. Fran Fine. She was beautiful, smart and funny. As quick as a flash of lighting he remembered her. This woman could have been his nanny. Many more things ran through his mind like did he make a mistake not hiring her? As he kept on thinking about his first encounter with her, he never knew that their would be many more.

_Please review the first chapter.. thank you..-Authors Note_


	2. feeling the same way

**_Please Review... Thankx alot..-Authors Note _**

As Fran walked away from the table she stopped dead in her tracks turned around quickly and looked at the table where the Sheffield's sat. She gasped and walked over to the table and pointed to Maxwell "I remember you!" Maxwell chuckled as she continued "Your that mean man that didn't hire me a couple of years ago!"

Maxwell then asked, "Well I remember not hiring you because of what happened at that blasted party." C.C's eyes went wide and got up from the table and walked over to Fran and said, "I remember you! Wow, you look exactly the same, you haven't aged a bit". Niles the butler than mumbled "as opposed to you!" Fran laughed and said "Aw… well thank you. But now I really have to go. Val already started eating without me." Maxwell's palm touched her back lightly and he then told her "Okay, fine. But I will come with you." "Can't stay away from me can you Mr. Sheffield?" Fran said half joking.

As Fran and Maxwell went off to the buffet Niles asked C.C "Aren't you afraid of Miss Fine?" C.C laughed then responded "Yeah, right! That big hair and that mini-skirt don't scare me. Besides I know Maxwell would never ever fall for someone like that!" Niles moved her head in the direction of Maxwell and Fran "Well" he started to say, "I guess, that shouldn't scare you. But the way he keeps on looking at her up and down should!"

"Oh come on Maxwell, it was a fantastic play. My grandmother and I went to see it 6 times." Maxwell blushed then asked "Really? You liked it that much?" Fran nodded then replied, "Well that, and because my grandma Yetta is a little slow. By the second time we saw it, she finally understand why they ripped off the stub instead of just keeping the tickets. I tell you, she really is something. One time I took her to the park in August, I swear it was December when we got home". Maxwell chuckled at her joke as he poured some soup into a bowl.

"Miss Fine, or may I call you Fran?" Maxwell asked her. Fran smiled and asked, "What do you think?" Maxwell smiled then continued "Fran, do you think maybe you and your friend Val, would like to spend tomorrow with us? I thought that you and the children had a connection a couple of years back, maybe you would like to reconnect with them." Fran smiled and said "Okay, sounds like fun. But if I remember clearly, us two had a connection too."

Max looked at her surprised "Well, yes as Boss and Nanny, right?" Fran smiled back at him lying through her teeth "yeah, that's what I was talking about." Then she asked him as they walked back to their table slowly "How is the woman who stole my job?" Max shook his head and answered, "Well, sick at the moment. She is a wonderful nanny, but the children do not seem to fancy her."

Fran shocked asked "Oh, really? Is she too strict? Too harsh?" Max laughed and said "Well not really. Maybe its because she doesn't make an effort to remember their names correctly. But anyway, lets just go ahead and sit down". They get closer and closer to the table, and they see the whole family already there eating.

"Oh, Niles" C.C started to ask "Are you going to finish your drink?" Niles smirked then replied "I'll only let you have it if you'll let me poison it first!"

As Max and Fran sat down at the table they both overheard what he had said. Maxwell disapproved and told him "Now, old man play nice". Fran agreed and said, "Yeah, I mean you never know when the dog is going to bite." Then she whispered to Niles "Literally" and he laughed. But then Fran continued her story "My cousin's aunt's brother once got bit by a dog right in the schnitzel. I swear I have never seen a grown man cry so much; oh excluding my father when Bush was elected".

Maxwell cleared his throat just as he noticed how disturbing that story was. He then asked the children "Do you all like the food?" Grace then replied, "Yeah, I really like the spaghetti!" Brighton agreed "Me too!" Maggie then looked at him disturbed "Then I'm not having any!" Fran looked at Maggie and told her "Maggie come on, be nice!" Maggie fought back "Fran! He eats dirt!

Fran looked at him dumbfounded and said "No argument there." Maxwell decided to stop the disagreement by asking Miss. Babcock "C.C, can you please pass the salt?" C.C smiled and gave it to him saying "For you Maxwell anything." Niles laughs and then tells her "Oh, why don't you just bend over!"

Fran asks Maggie "So, Maggie how is school? Any cute boys?" Maggie begins to form tears in her eyes so Fran then asks her "Angel, what's wrong?" Brighton answers for her and says, "Her boyfriend just broke up with her!" and then he starts to laugh. Fran hits him lightly on the shoulder "Why do you have to be mean? When your older and your father dies who do you think your father is gonna leave his money too? The nice delicate daughter or the mean cold hearted son?"

Brighton looks at his father and says, "Dad, did I ever tell you that, that shirt on you looks fantastic! And did I ever mention that I love you?"

Fran looks at Maxwell "See it all depends on what you say." Max laughs and says "Well, Fran you do know what to do in some situations." She chuckles and whispers in his ear flirtatiously "I know what to do in other situations too."

The next day Fran and Val met up with the Sheffield's at the swimming pool. "Good morning everyone" Fran said to them. This is my best friend Val". Maxwell shook her hand while saying "Pleasure." Val looked at him then pulled her best friend aside. "Boy, you really did screw up. He is gorgeous!"

Then she said hello to the children. "Miss. Boobcock, I presume?" Fran then hit her with her purse "Val, its Babcock. BABcock!" Val apologized and C.C accepted saying, "It's not the first time someone has made that mistake." Niles then told Fran "Yes, mostly its her dates. They get all excited and then they see her, and the excitement is all over".

"Oh, you must be Niles?" Val asked. Niles nodded and said "Yes, Nice to meet you." Val blushed and said embarrassed "Oh, the pleasure is mine." Fran looked at her best friend curiously and asked Maxwell "So what are we doing today?" Maxwell looked at the children and replied, "Well, since we are at the pool. Why don't we go for a dip?" The children replied "Yea!" Val then said, "Oh, I can't get my hair wet. Franny you and them can go. I'll just sit here and tan." Niles looked at her "If you wish I'll stay with you. I feel like sitting here reading a book anyways."

Val smiled and thanked him. Miss. Babcock then said "Maxwell do you mind if I come swimming with you all?" Max answered her "Of course not…" Miss. Fine then changed into her bathing suit and jumped into the water. She then said, "Okay, kids. I'll race you all to the other side." The kids jumped into the water and started to race her.

Maxwell looked at her and the children then asked Niles and C.C "Remarkable isn't she? She is so sweet! I should have hired her as the Nanny." Niles then asked curiously "Just as the nanny sir?" He looked back and said as he jumped into the pool and followed the children "Yes, Just as the Nanny."

Miss. Babcock asked, "Niles, you don't think that he just started to like her now do you?" Niles shook his head and responded "No. I think he started to like her a Yesterday at lunch." Val smiled as she heard this. Then she asked Niles "Are you sure?" Niles answered, "I don't know. That's just my opinion."

Time passed and it was now dinnertime. Niles and Val had gotten along and decided to order in room service. Brighton and Grace decided to eat with two other kids they meet in the morning at the swimming pool. Maggie had a date with a waiter, and Fran and Maxwell decided to have dinner together with Miss. Babcock.

"All I'm saying is that you come in our lives and change everything. How does that happen?" C.C told Fran. Fran looked at her and said "Miss. Babcock I think you had a little too much to drink. "No I have not, okay! I am a grown woman, I don't need you to tell me what to and not to do!"

Max looked at her and said calmly "C.C I think you should sleep it off." C.C smiled at him and said "No! You, Maxwell, I am not listening to you. I have spent more than half my life living for you, and she…" she says pointing to Fran then continuing "comes into your life and takes you in a second. No! And now, even Niles has found someone. Maybe I should just die…"

Fran looked at her sympathetically and told her "Look sweetie, you may be single, and 40 but if you cared about other things than your career and Maxwell. Then you'll see you will have many guys lined up for you."

C.C laughed drunk and said "really? Awww…. Miss Fine, that's the nicest thing someone has ever said to me." Fran whispered to Max "yea, I bet." Then Max said "Fran, I am going to take her to her hotel room. You wait right here".

Fran waited for Maxwell and as soon as he came he apologized. She told him that it was all right then explained why. "Look, do you think that's the first time I have ever seen a drunken woman? Wait a minute, actually that's the first time I have. Unless you count my Uncle Charlotte!" Max looked at her confused then she continued, "Yes, I said Uncle." Maxwell laughed and then told her "I have only been talking to you for two days, and I know too much about your family".

"Quite frankly," he continued, "I have never ever meet anyone like you." Fran smiled and agreed, "Well, I am unique." He smiled at her and touched her hand and said "I think I made a big mistake when I didn't hire you." Fran looked down at her hand and rubbed his "Well…. I don't know...Okay, yea you did."

Max then says "But now it's too late, I guess." Fran smiles and says, "Yea, I guess." Max starts to smile back at her and asks "You like your steak?" Fran asks "What? Of course, it's delish. I guess it's a big surprise that Niles and Val have gotten along! I guess my fortune teller was confusing her for me". Max then asks confused "I know I am going to regret asking, but what do you mean?"

Fran chuckled then responded, "Well, she told me that I would meet the man of my dreams on this cruise." Maxwell was shocked as he thought "wait a minute, I met her on this ship… wait a bloody fortune teller told her this for God's sake… It must all be wrong! Unless…"

But as Maxwell began to think about it more and more he decided to ask her "Well, have you met the man of your dreams?" She looked at him strangely and replied, "Well, I haven't any man expect for you… so unless he turns out to be you…then no…."

**_Please Review. Thank you very much.  
I HAVE A QUESTION…  
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN SEASON 3 OF THE NANNY WILL BE OUT ON DVD? Other than that I hope you enjoyed the fanfic:)- Authors Note_**


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